2 research outputs found
Model independent analysis of dark matter points to a particle mass at the keV scale
We present a model independent analysis of dark matter (DM) both decoupling
ultra relativistic (UR) and non-relativistic (NR) based in the phase-space
density D = rho_{DM}/sigma^3_{DM}. We derive explicit formulas for the DM
particle mass m and for the number of ultra relativistic degrees of freedom g_d
at decoupling. We find that for DM particles decoupling UR both at local
thermal equilibrium (LTE) and out of LTE, m turns to be at the keV scale. For
example, for DM Majorana fermions decoupling at LTE the mass results m ~ 0.85
keV. For DM particles decoupling NR, sqrt{m T_d} results in the keV scale (T_d
is the decoupling temperature) and the m value is consistent with the keV
scale. In all cases, DM turns to be cold DM (CDM). Also, lower and upper bounds
on the DM annihilation cross-section for NR decoupling are derived. We evaluate
the free-streaming (Jeans') length and Jeans' mass: they result independent of
the type of DM except for the DM self-gravity dynamics. The free-streaming
length today results in the kpc range. These results are based on our
theoretical analysis, astronomical observations of dwarf spheroidal satellite
galaxies in the Milky Way and N-body numerical simulations. We analyze and
discuss the results on D from analytic approximate formulas both for linear
fluctuations and the (non-linear) spherical model and from N-body simulations
results. We obtain in this way upper bounds for the DM particle mass which all
result below the 100 keV range.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures. Expanded version to be published in Monthly
Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ
PG 1115+080: variations of the A2/A1 flux ratio and new values of the time delays
We report the results of our multicolor observations of PG 1115+080 with the
1.5-m telescope of the Maidanak Observatory (Uzbekistan, Central Asia) in
2001-2006. Monitoring data in filter R spanning the 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons
(76 data points) demonstrate distinct brightness variations of the source
quasar with the total amplitude of almost 0.4 mag. Our R light curves have
shown image C leading B by 16.4d and image (A1+A2) by 12d that is inconsistent
with the previous estimates obtained by Schechter et al. in 1997 - 24.7d
between B and C and 9.4d between (A1+A2) and C. The new values of time delays
in PG 1115+080 must result in larger values for the Hubble constant, thus
reducing difference between its estimates taken from the gravitational lenses
and with other methods. Also, we analyzed variability of the A2/A1 flux ratio,
as well as color changes in the archetypal "fold" lens PG 1115+080. We found
the A1/A2 flux ratio to grow during 2001-2006 and to be larger at longer
wavelengths. In particular, the A2/A1 flux ratio reached 0.85 in filter I in
2006. We also present evidence that both the A1 and A2 images might have
undergone microlensing during 2001-2006, with the descending phase for A1 and
initial phase for A2. We find that the A2/A1 flux ratio anomaly in PG 1115 can
be well explained both by microlensing and by finite distance of the source
quasar from the caustic fold.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, 8 tables, Accepted for publication in MNRA